I told you about Sister Burton so now I am going to tell you about Sister Wixom. I always like to watch her speak. She gets so excited about what she is teaching. She was always a favorite at the MTC. She said that two weeks after she was set apart as the Primary General President, Elder L Tom Perry invited her into his office. He posed the question: What is the taproot that will anchor a child in the wind? She said she went away thinking and pondering this question. Was it a knowledge of the Holy Ghost? That families can be forever? She said one day her presidency was studying the scriptures together and they found their answer.
And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generatiaons. (Alma 24:14)
She asid that the spirit confirmed to them that they needed to teach the children of the Church the plan of salvation. So she decided to make her own family her test group. Her son and his family of three, 4,6, and 9 I, came for dinner on Sunday.
She said that they all went into one room in the house. A lovely room but not the best that they had. They sang "I Will Follow God's Plan for Me." Then they explained what that plan was and what it would mean for them. And they voted and they shouted for joy when it was decided that they would all go. Then they waved goodbye to Papa as he left first for his earthly experience. They all went one by one in age order.
In the second room they sang "I Love to See the Temple". They talked about them being in a family and learning together. They talked about baptism and that it was a covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost and the priesthood. They went through each of them receiveing the holy ghost and then preparing to go to the temple and on missions and being married. Grandma and Papa shared expreiences that they had had that the little ones would not know about. They then introduced the topic of death and talked about what it meant. That they would all one day die and go to another place. They talked about who would go first and it was decided that it would probably be Papa since he was the oldest. When Papa stood to go the four year old started to cry and said: "Oh Papa, don't go!" Papa said: "But I've done it. I'm ready to go."
One by one they all left that room and reassembled in the living room. The nicest and best room in the house. They were so excited to see each other and each was welcomed by Grandma and Papa especially. They talked about how that room represented the Celestial Kingdom and that they were all there together. They sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and then they reflected on the things that they had learned while they were on the "earth" and how grateful they were for the plan of salvation that made it all possible.
She said that parents need to INTENTIONALLY teach the plan of salvation to their family and not to imagine or think that they are too young or that they will get it in Primary or that they already kind of know it from other discussions. She encouraged us to attend the temple and to tell our children why we go. President Monson said that every effort to get to the Temple comes home with us in our bags as blessings with the love and promise of eternity.
She said that we need to teach and talk constantly about the Savior and his atonement for us. President Benson said that we will all be surprised at how familiar His face will be to us when we pass through the veil. Part of that will be because of Moroni 6:4
And after they had been received unto baptism and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayers, relying alone open the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finished of their faith.
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